We hope you enjoy our 100 Fun Fact About Illinois from the 4th grade classes at Most Holy Redeemer School in Evergreen Park, Illinois.
| # |
Fact |
Source |
Contibutor |
| 1 |
Walt Disney was born in Chicago. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Patrick K |
| 2 |
The world's longest street is in Chicago - Western Ave. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Caroline K |
| 3 |
The world's largest gum manufacturer is in Chicago - William Wrigley. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Joe |
| 4 |
The world's first Ferris Wheel was at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Maura |
| 5 |
The World's largest cookie and cracker factory is in Chicago - Nabisco. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Dan |
| 6 |
The Chicago River is dyed green on St. Patrick's Day. |
Your Guide to the US |
Ryan |
| 7 |
Des Plaines is home to the first McDonalds. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Helen |
| 8 |
The first aquarium opened in Chicago. |
Enchanted Learning |
Billy |
| 9 |
The state snack of Ilinois is popcorn. |
State Facts for Students |
Grace |
| 10 |
Chicago has more than 45,000,000 visitors per year. |
Explore Chicago |
Tommy |
| 11 |
The world's first skyscraper was built in Chicago. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Annie |
| 12 |
Chicago is know as the "Candy Capital of the World". |
Facts About Chicago |
Mary Kate |
| 13 |
The Chicago River is the only river in the world that flows backwards. |
Facts About Chicago |
Kaleigh |
| 14 |
The Chicago Bears were first know as the Staley Bears. |
Your Guide to the US |
Vanessa |
| 15 |
The Illinois state dance is square dancing. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Katie H |
| 16 |
The first animal purchased for Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo was a bear cub for $10.00. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Bridget |
| 17 |
Home Alone 1, 2 and 3 were filmed in Chicago. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Caroline B |
| 18 |
Chicago has 200 movie theaters. |
Explore Chicago |
Luke |
| 19 |
Illinois has 102 counties. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Jake |
| 20 |
The state bird of Illinois is the cardinal. |
Ben's Guide for Kids |
Pat D |
| 21 |
Illinois state nicknames are "The Land of Lincoln" and "The Prairie State". |
Ben's Guide for Kids |
Maeve |
| 22 |
The movie 16 Candles was filmed in Chicago. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Patrick K |
| 23 |
Chicago is the 3rd largest city in the United States. |
Facts About Chicago |
Caroline K |
| 24 |
Ferris Buller's Day Off was filmed in Chicago. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Joe |
| 25 |
Hillary Clinton was born in Chicago. She was the 1st First lady elected to the U.S. Senate. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Maura |
| 26 |
McCormick Place in Chicago has the largest amount of exhibit space for a convention center in the U.S. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Dan |
| 27 |
The top name for boys in Illinois is Michael and Emily for girls. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Michael |
| 28 |
Chicago is home to 552 parks. |
Explore Chicago |
Maeve |
| 29 |
The term "jazz" was coined in Chicago in 1914. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Steve |
| 30 |
In Mount Pulaski, it is illegal for boys to throw snowballs at trees. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Stacey |
| 31 |
There are more 10 year old boys than girls in Illinois. |
State Facts for Students |
Daniel |
| 32 |
The largest county in Illinois is Cook County. |
Kid's Almanac Online |
Carson |
| 33 |
The Willis Towers elevators are the fastest in the world - 1,600 ft. per minute. |
Explore Chicago |
Tricia |
| 34 |
Chicago has over 12,000 fast food restaurants. |
State Facts for Students |
Nora |
| 35 |
Metropolis - the home of Superman is in Southern Illinois. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Jack |
| 36 |
The Taste of Chicago is the world's largest free outdoor food festival |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Georgia |
| 37 |
The Willis Tower in Chicago is the tallest building in North America. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Katelyn |
| 38 |
The state insect is the monarch butterfly. |
Illinois Facts |
Erin |
| 39 |
The state mammal is the white tail deer. |
Enchanted Learning |
Molly O |
| 40 |
Barack Obama moved to Illinois in 1985. |
Enchanted Learning |
Declan |
| 41 |
Springfield is the capital of Illinois. |
Ben's Guide for Kids |
Katie A |
| 42 |
Chicago is the favorite "Road City" of Major League Baseball. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Conor |
| 43 |
Chicago is one of the "greenest" cities in America. |
Explore Chicago |
Sarah |
| 44 |
Harold Washington Library in Chicago has the largest collection of books in the U.S. |
Chicago Facts |
Will |
| 45 |
Chicago has many nicknames - "The Windy City", "The City of Big Shoulders", "The Second City", "The City That Works". |
Explore Chicago |
Molly W |
| 46 |
The State Tree of Illinois is the white oak. |
Ben's Guide for Kids |
Helen |
| 47 |
The world's largest ice cream cone factory is located in Chicago - Keebler. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Mary Kate |
| 48 |
Illinois had 2 state capitals before Springfield - Vandalia and Kaskaskia. |
Your Guide to the US |
Kaleigh |
| 49 |
Chicago is home to 6 professional sports teams - Bulls, Bears, White Sox, Cubs, Black Hawks and Fire. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Vanessa |
| 50 |
The state fossil of Illinois is the Tully Monster. |
State Facts for Students |
Katie |
| 51 |
The first Morman Temple in Illinois was constructed in Nauvoo. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Shannon |
| 52 |
There are over 12 million people in Illinois. |
State Facts for Students |
Bridget |
| 53 |
Peoria is the oldest community in Illinois. |
Kid's Almanac Online |
Caroline B |
| 54 |
The ice cream "sundae" was named in Evanston. |
Your Guide to the US |
Luke |
| 55 |
Illinois has more personalized license plates than any other state. |
Your Guide to the US |
Maggie |
| 56 |
Illinois is know for it's wide variety of weather - major winter storms, tornadoes, intense heat and cold waves. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Jake |
| 57 |
The state song of Illinois is "Illinois". |
Ben's Guide for Kids |
Maeve D |
| 58 |
The highest point in Illinois is Charles Mound - 1,235 ft. |
Kid's Almanac Online |
Annie |
| 59 |
The state fish is a bluegill. |
Enchanted Learning |
Tommy |
| 60 |
In 1994 Chicago hosted the first World Cup Soccer Championship to be held in the US. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Grace |
| 61 |
The movies Bad Boys and Ocean's 11 and 12 were filmed in Chicago. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Billy |
| 62 |
Most people in Illinois drive alone to work. |
State Facts for Students |
Stacey |
| 63 |
The state motto is Illinois is "State Sovernigty, National Union". |
Ben's Guide for Kids |
Tyler |
| 64 |
Roller skates, spray paint and pinball games were invented in Chicago. |
Facts About Chicago |
Tricia |
| 65 |
In 1997 the Field Museum purchased "Sue" the largest, most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Nora |
| 66 |
Illinois has more government units than any other state (city, county, township etc.) |
Your Guide to the US |
Jack |
| 67 |
Miracle on 34th Street was filmed in Chicago. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Georgia |
| 68 |
Carlyle is the home of the largest man-made lake in Illinois. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Ellie |
| 69 |
Harrison Ford is a native Chicagoan. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Conor |
| 70 |
The Chicago Water Tower and Pumping Station are the only buildings that survived the "Great Chicago Fire". |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Sarah |
| 71 |
Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago is one of only three major free zoo's in the country and is the nation's oldest public zoo. |
Explore Chicago |
Will |
| 72 |
The state mineral is fluoride. |
Enchanted Learning |
Molly W |
| 73 |
Illinois was the first to ratify the 13th Amendment - abolishing slavery. |
Your Guide to the US |
Maeve B |
| 74 |
Chicago has 19 miles of lakefront bicycle paths. |
Explore Chicago |
Steve |
| 75 |
The highest recored temperature in Illinois was 119 degrees and the lowest was -36 degrees. |
Kid's Almanac Online |
Stacey and Daniel |
| 76 |
Chicago is home to the world's largest population of Pols outside of Warsaw |
Chicago Facts |
Caroline K |
| 77 |
Illinois is the 21st state. |
Illinois Facts |
Sarah |
| 78 |
Dixon is the home of Ronald Regan. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Tyler |
| 80 |
Illinois is the 25th biggest state in the US. |
Enchanted Learning |
Georgia |
| 81 |
Illinois became a state on December 3, 1818. |
Ben's Guide for Kids |
Katelyn |
| 82 |
There are 14 amusements parks in Illinois |
State Facts for Students |
Ryan |
| 83 |
Illinois is the 5th most populous state. |
Enchanted Learning |
Kaleigh |
| 84 |
The state flower of Illinois is the native violet. |
Ben's Guide for Kids |
Maeve D |
| 85 |
Chicago has over 200 art galleries. |
Explore Chicago |
Tommy |
| 86 |
Barak Obama served as a legislator from Illinois. |
Enchanted Learning |
Annie |
| 87 |
The worst prison camp during the Civil War in terms of percentages of death was in Rock Island. |
Your Guide to the US |
Bridget |
| 88 |
The famous Lincoln-Douglas debates that stirred interest in slavery were held in Illinois. |
Your Guide to the US |
Dan |
| 89 |
The four stars on the Chicago flag represent: Fort Dearborn, the Chicago Fire, The ColumbianExposition and The Century of Progress Exposition. |
Illinois Facts and Trivia |
Shannon |
| 90 |
Boeing airplanes are manufactured in Illinois. |
Illinois Facts |
Ryan |
| 91 |
The Governor of Illinois is Pat Quinn. |
Ben's Guide for Kids |
Ben |
| 92 |
Illinois borders Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin. |
Kid's Almanac Online |
Conor |
| 93 |
"Chicago" is the French interpretation of the Miami-Illinois Indian name "Shikaakwa" which means "wild leek". |
Facts About Chicago |
Katie A |
| 94 |
The Alder Planetarium in Chicago was the first planetarium in the western hemisphere. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Cecilia |
| 95 |
The Twinkie was invented in Chicago. |
Facts About Chicago |
Will |
| 96 |
The Chicago Post Office on Van Buren is the only post office in the world that you can drive through. |
Your Guide to the US |
Maeve B |
| 97 |
There are 36 annual parades in Chicago. |
Explore Chicago |
Michael |
| 98 |
Jane Addams, founder of the Hull House to aid immigrants and the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, was from Chicago. |
Chicago fun facts and trivia |
Steve |
| 99 |
The state reptile of Illinois is the painted turtle. |
Illinois Facts |
Katelyn |
| 100 |
The name for a resident of Illinois is "Illinoisan". |
Enchanted Learning |
Jack |